A Hainan Airlines aircraft takes off from Ningbo Lishe International Airport in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Zhejiang Provincial Airport Group Co]

In a record-breaking summer travel season for China's civil aviation, domestic airfares from Zhejiang cities have dropped significantly this August, defying the usual peak-season trend, with some one-way tickets starting from 300 yuan ($42).

Data from online booking platforms show that on Aug 26, an economy-class ticket from Hangzhou to Beijing costs 300 yuan before tax — about 13 percent of the full fare. Other low fares include Hangzhou-Jieyang at 370 yuan and Hangzhou-Shijiazhuang at 330 yuan.

From Ningbo Lishe International Airport, flights to Guangzhou and Jieyang in mid-August are priced at approximately 200 yuan. The new Ningbo-Nanchang service, launched Aug 12, is priced at 300 yuan — lower than some comparable high-speed rail fares.

China's summer transport season, from July to late August, has seen unprecedented traffic.

Domestic airlines carried about 71.2 million passengers in July, up 3 percent year-on-year, according to industry estimates. The Civil Aviation Administration of China forecast total summer passenger traffic at 150 million, averaging 2.44 million per day.

Zhejiang airports also set records, with 286,300 passengers handled on Aug 1 — the province's highest single-day total.

Despite the surge, July's average domestic economy fare, including fuel surcharges, was 840 yuan, down 7.5 percent year-on-year. Only the Hangzhou-Shenzhen route among the top 20 domestic air routes saw prices rise, while several popular routes recorded double-digit declines.

Industry analysts cite lower fuel costs and intensified airline competition as key factors behind the price drop.